The present technique relates generally to electrical connection systems and, more particularly, to electrical connection systems for computing devices. The present technique provides a system and method for switching connections between a plurality of device sets by utilizing a multi-directional connector and a switchable multi-circuit board.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
A variety of electrical connection systems are currently used in computer systems and various other electronic and computing devices. Electrical connections are typically formed with male and female electrical connectors, such as a male plug disposed on an electrical cable and a female receptacle disposed on a component (e.g., a port on a computer system). For example, a computer system may have a network port, a power port, an audio port, a video port, a parallel port, a serial port, a USB port, a midi/game port, a wireless communication port (e.g., an IRDA port, an optical port, a radio frequency port, a blue tooth technology port, etc.) and various other ports for communicating with external devices. In the typical connector configuration, the male and female connectors are communicatively coupled in a single specific connection. Moreover, a port or connector is typically configured to communicate with a single device (e.g., an Input/Output device), such as with communication between a computer system and a peripheral device. This conventional connection system does not allow switching between a plurality of devices, such as a modem and a network card, without unplugging one device and plugging in the other device.
On circuit boards, such as computer motherboards, electrical connections may be formed by male/female connector assemblies and jumpers. For example, the circuit board may include a male connector assembly having a plurality of electrical posts protruding from the circuit board. A female connector assembly may then be inserted over the electrical posts to couple the circuit board to a desired device. In computer systems, jumpers are often used to couple pairs of protruding posts to obtain a desired electrical configuration for the computer system. For example, several pairs of jumpers may be used to couple adjacent male pins on the circuit board to configure the computer system for the desired computing components. Unfortunately, this jumper technique consumes considerable space and is generally only useful for coupling adjacent electrical posts.
In compact electronic devices, such as portable computer systems, the various components and electronics must be configured to consume a minimal amount of space to enable a thinner and more compact design for the overall computing device. The relatively thin profile of circuit boards allows designers to reduce space consumption of the computing structure, yet the various components disposed in the computing structure still consume a considerable amount of space. Accordingly, various computing components are integrated in the computing device (e.g., onto the motherboard) to reduce the overall size of the computing structure. For example, network circuitry and other communication circuitry may be integrated with the circuit board and the processor to reduce the overall size of the computing structure. Various other components, such as sound and video circuitry, also may be integrated with the circuit board and processor. However, it is still desirable to provide electrical ports and circuitry to communicate with other internal and external computing components, such as a mini-PCI network card.
Accordingly, a versatile electrical connection technique is needed to provide a switchable set of electrical connections between various internal and peripheral devices. There is also a need for a relatively low profile electrical connection system to reduce space consumption of the circuitry and the connection system.
Certain aspects commensurate in scope with the originally claimed invention are set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms the invention might take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.
The present technique provides a system and method for switchably and mutually exclusively coupling a plurality of devices sets. The connection technique utilizes a low profile connector having multiple circuit sets, which are configured for mutually exclusive and removable insertion into a receptacle coupled to multiple devices. Each one of the multiple circuit sets, which is inserted into the receptacle, switchably couples a desired set of the plurality of device sets.

An aspect of the present technique provides an electrical connector for switchably coupling multiple devices. The electrical connector includes a switchable connector having a plurality of conductor sets configured for switchable coupling with a communication receptacle for a plurality of devices, wherein each set of the plurality of conductor sets provides a connection between a desired device set of the plurality of devices.
Another aspect of the present technique provides a system for switchably coupling desired sets of electronics. The system includes a receptacle communicatively coupled to a plurality of electronics and a multi-circuit connector panel. The multi-circuit connector panel has a first circuit insertable into the receptacle to communicatively couple a first set of the plurality of electronics. The multi-circuit connector panel also has a second circuit switchable with the first circuit and insertable into the receptacle to communicatively couple a second set of the plurality of electronics.
Another aspect of the present technique provides a computing device having circuitry for switchably communicating with multiple components. The computing device includes a computing device and a device connection assembly disposed in the computing device. The device connection assembly includes a receptacle communicatively coupled to a plurality of components for the computing device. The device connection assembly also has a connector panel comprising multiple conductor sets changeably coupleable with the receptacle to communicatively couple a desired set of the plurality of components.
Another aspect of the present technique provides a method for changeably connecting electronic devices. The method includes the act of communicatively coupling a plurality of electronic devices to a connector assembly. The method also includes changeably coupling a desired circuit of a multi-circuit panel to the connector assembly communicatively coupled to a desired device set of the plurality of electronic devices.
Another aspect of the present technique provides a method of forming a low profile switchable device connector. The method includes the act of forming a plurality of circuits sets on a panel, each circuit set having a plurality of conductors with opposite ends terminating on a desired edge portion of the panel. The method also includes positioning the plurality of circuit sets on multiple side portions of the panel for removable coupling with a multi-device connector assembly for switchably and mutually exclusively coupling a plurality of desired device sets from a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to the multi-device connector assembly.